Holiday Cottages Essex

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By selecting one of our holiday cottages Essex and its many attractions can be discovered. No doubt you will want to get out and about to experience at least some of the county's best places to visit and activities to try during your stay. So here's my Top 10 of some of the best things to do whilst on holiday in Essex.
... Read More »1 Go island-hoppingThere are several inshore islands off the coast of Essex, many connected to the mainland by causeway. Mersea, Northey, Wallasea, and Osea islands are just some of those worthy of exploration, each with their own unique atmosphere. Uncover the history of Northey House, now in the care of the National Trust; visit the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds sanctuary on Wallasea; sip a glass of white wine from the Mersea vineyard.2 Visit Constable CountrySee the scenes which inspired the famous landscape artist John Constable in Dedham Vale and the Stour Valley. The rural landscape in these parts has changed little in the 200 years since he captured it on canvas. Now, the valley is protected by Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status and has its very own newly-created, long-distance footpath running through it.3 Discover 'upstairs, downstairs'Audley End, with its magnificent art collection, claims to be one the very best stately homes in the country. A visit here is unmissable on any trip to Essex. Find out about how life was conducted above, and below, stairs in Victorian times at this fine country mansion.4 Get green fingersHyde Hall near Chelmsford, is one of four properties in England run by the Royal Horticultural Society gardening charity. The gardens, once a working farm, have been transformed since 1955 and today offer a host of garden-based activities for all the family to enjoy, year-round. There is also an RHS gift and plant shop and cafe on the site. Just down the road, near Colchester, are the renowned Beth Chatto gardens featuring the famous Gravel Garden. There is a plant nursery and tea room on the site.5 Potter on the pierThe resorts of Southend and Clacton both boast piers, the former being the longest in the world. Recently restored Southend Pier offers a host of entertainment and, of course, superb panoramic views. A train service runs to the end of the pier where there is a cafe and active lifeboat station. Clacton Pier also features a range of attractions.6 Find yourself in FrintonWith its reputation for being a little conservative (with a small 'c') the genteel resort of Frinton-on-Sea is enjoying a revival, the current trend for vintage well in vogue there. Property is much sought-after here, including the town's colourful beach huts which change hands for thousands of pounds. Up until 2000, the town had no pub; located in the main shopping street - Connaught Avenue - the Lock and Barrel put an end to this long-standing 'drough'.7 Sample the oystersOysters have been harvested around the estuaries of Essex since Roman times - and probably even before then. The shallow creeks of Mersea island are famous for this delicacy but with the rare Native Oyster under threat, steps have been taken to protect their wild populations. However, other oysters can still be farmed, harvested and enjoyed here. To sample this unique taste of the sea, try the renowned Company Shed or the West Mersea Oyster Bar, both on Mersea island.8 Explore Tilbury FortFrom its strategic position on the Thames Estuary, Tilbury Fort has protected the nation since Tudor times. It was near this spot that Queen Elizabeth I made her famous rallying speech to troops before they faced the Spanish Armada. Now in the guardianship of English Heritage, this fort founded by Henry VIII is a popular family attraction with an on-site military museum, exhibitions, shop and cafe.9 Enjoy the peaceStanding where the Essex marshes meet the sea, the ancient Anglo-Saxon chapel of St Peter on the Wall is the oldest church still in use in the country today. This Grade I listed building, beautiful in its simplicity, was built by St Cedd of Lindisfarne in AD 654. With its views across the Blackwater estuary, the chapel is a spiritual, peaceful place of pilgrimage for people of all, or no, faiths and can be reached on foot from the nearby village of Bradwell-on-Sea.10 Romans revealedColchester claims to be Britain's first Roman city and can trace its origins back to the 1st century BC when the fortified settlement of Camulodunum was founded by Britons. In 43AD the site was captured by the Roman invaders and over the following years developed to become capital of the province of Britannia, despite being sacked by the legendary tribal queen Boudicca, in 61AD. Today, evidence of the Roman occupation is everywhere, from the ancient city wall - Britain's oldest - to the remains of the only Roman circus (chariot race track) ever found in this country. The museum in award-winning Colchester Castle, built on the site of the Roman Temple of Claudius, contains important artefacts dating from the period including the famous Colchester Vase and bronze statue of Mercury.